Sanders Heads List of NFL Cuts

Deion Sanders has gone from a two-sport to a no-sport player.

Sanders, who helped Dallas and San Francisco win Super Bowl titles, joined a list of name players who were cut by their teams on Friday because of the salary cap.

The Cowboys cut Sanders, who gave up an aborted comeback attempt with the Cincinnati Reds earlier this season, and avoided the $23.5 million the cornerback would have been guaranteed had he been on their roster another day.

“Because of salary-cap reasons, we just can’t afford to keep him under his current contract,” Cowboy owner Jerry Jones said.

The next stop for Sanders could be with the Redskins. Under new owner Dan Snyder, Washington has shown a propensity to sign name players.

“Certainly, it’s been talked about a great deal and we’ll see what happens over the next week,” Redskin Coach Norv Turner said.

Vinny Cerrato, Washington’s director of player personnel, planned to talk with Sanders’ agent, Eugene Parker, during the weekend.

Sanders, an 11-year NFL veteran, is looking for a multiyear contract with a signing bonus of $8 million.

“We’ll set a structure and framework for what we are willing to do and see if that works,” Cerrato said.

A look at other key personnel moves Friday:

* Jerry Rice and the San Francisco 49ers reportedly reached a tentative agreement that would keep the receiver with the team for the next two seasons.

Coach Steve Mariucci said the team and Rice were very close, but have not finalized the deal. The NFL must approve the contract.

The San Francisco Examiner said the agreement restructures the 2000 and 2001 seasons of Rice’s contract, which runs through 2004. The deal saves the team more than $1 million against the salary cap.

* The Minnesota Vikings cut Randall Cunningham, who quarterbacked them to a 15-1 record and a berth in the NFC title game two years ago. Cunningham became expendable when the Vikings made the commitment to Daunte Culpepper and released Jeff George. Cunningham, who has learned to accept a backup role, should sign with somewhere quickly though, with the leading candidate being Tampa Bay, where he can mentor Shaun King.

* The Jacksonville Jaguars released veteran linebacker Bryce Paup. Paup signed a five-year, $21-million contract before the 1998 season and was expected to plug one of several holes in the then-leaky Jaguar defense. Jacksonville improved dramatically, but not because of Paup, who had only 7 1/2 sacks in 30 starts.

He tore his pectoral muscle lifting weights last preseason and returned before he was fully healed, but never played up to expectations. The move will save Jacksonville about $1 million in cap room.

* Miami released guard Kevin Donnalley, clearing more than $2 million. The expected move came more than a month after Donnalley was not invited to the team’s minicamp. Donnalley could rejoin the team with a new contract, but it certainly wouldn’t be close to the $4.025 million he would have earned next season.

* Indianapolis cut defensive lineman Tony McCoy. McCoy, a fourth-round draft pick in 1992 who started 73 games for the Colts and had 23 sacks, was in the second year of a four-year, $9.2-million contract. He would have counted $2.02 million against the salary cap this year.

* Fullback Charles Way of the New York Giants retired at age 27 because of chronic knee problems.

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Orlando Brown, accidentally struck in the eye by an official’s thrown penalty flag during a Dec. 19 game, couldn’t practice Friday with the Cleveland Browns after failing a physical, and his future with the team is in doubt.